Hindu millions flock to purify themselves in the Ganges – in one of the world’s filthiest rivers

More than 50 million people are expected to attend the Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival, in the northern city of Haridwar to cleanse their sins and break the cycle of life and rebirth.

The world’s next largest religious gathering is Islam’s Haj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which attracts up to three million people annually.

Hindus from across India have been pouring into Haridwar — a temple town in the northern state of Uttarakhand — to take part in the festival, which alternates between four Indian cities.

Starting at sunrise yesterday, a vast crowd began chanting hymns and immersing themselves in the river’s sacred but highly polluted waters.

Many of them filled cans and bottles with water to take to relatives who were unable to attend. “Your soul will be cleansed and you will be free from disease if you take such a bath during this period,” Sushant Raj, an astrologist, said as he emerged from the river. “The water is cleaner and has more natural power in the early morning.”